Master the New USAJOBS

Last month, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) unveiled a long-awaited update to USAJOBS.gov, the key hub for careers in the federal government. One of the most vocal frustrations with USAJOBS in the past was its confusing layout.

The new landing page attempts to address this with a much cleaner interface. We wondered how USAJOBS would improve the website experience in these three basic areas:

Learn

The big focus of the redesigned USAJOBS is quickly searching for available jobs, but how well do they explain the application process? Before you needed to hunt and peck to find any information. Now? Below the search bar are links that try to guide visitors to the proper place.

If you are a first time visitor, the website will guide you through creating an account, learning how to use USAJOBS, and start your job search. Simple.

They also include a section on explaining the allure of working for the U.S. government and include information about the day-to-day experiences that federal employees have. These come in the form of short videos.

Speaking of Veterans, there is a special website OPM created to assist Veterans if they pursue a career in the federal government. It’s located at: www.fedshirevets.gov. Veterans can receive specialized information about hiring preferences for federal jobs as well as education and training opportunities that are exclusively for Veterans.